Alphonse Mucha: Czech king of the Art Nouveau

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Alfons Mucha: Czech king of the Art NouveauAlphonse Mucha’s is an art of seduction. His graceful women, delicate colors, and decorative style add up to an unashamed act of temptation. Mucha (1860-1939), whose work is indissolubly linked with the Art Nouveau style, was one of the most fascinating artistic personalities of the turn of the 20th century. He was not only a painter and graphic artist, but also took an interest in sculpture, jewelry, interior decorating, and utilitarian art. His particular talents, however, lay in decorative graphics, which was the basis of his fame and remains so today.

Coinciding with the Millennium Jubilee of the Czech patron saint St. Wenceslas (Duke of Bohemia), the Gothic reconstruction work for St. Vitas Cathedral in Prague was completed in 1929. The new stained glass window, designed by Mucha, was installed in the north nave in 1931.

The window portrays the boy St. Wenceslas with his grandmother St. Ludmila in the centre, surrounded by episodes from the lives of Saints Cyril and Methodius who spread Christianity among the Slavs.

St. Vitus Cathedral Stained-glass Window, Prague final design for the central panels, featuring St. Ludomira (1931)

St. Vitus Cathedral Stained-glass Window, Prague: final design for the central panels, featuring SS Cyril and Methodius (1931)

St.Vitus Cathedral Stained-glass Window, Prague: final design for the bottom right panels (1931)

The image of Slavia is also included below Christ, and as an emblem of Slavia Bank who funded the stained glass window.

Smetana HallPrague’s Obecní dům (Municipal House) is a wonderful example of Prague’s Art Nouveau architectural style. Among great restaurants and meeting rooms is a stylish concert hall, appropriately called “Smetana Hall”

The Obecní Dům (Municipal House) is a municipal centre for social and official gatherings.

Designed by architects Antonín Balšánek

and Osvald Polívka, it is a

temple to Czech Art Nouveau and venerates both

eastern and western art

Several prominent Czech artists of the day were enlisted to decorate the interiors. Mucha was commissioned to decorate the circular salon of the Lord Mayor's Hall.

Mucha's designs celebrate the heroic past of the Czech people and the unity of the Slav nations

Three wall panels portray representatives of Slavic youth who swear their allegiance to the mother nation.

Mucha's designs celebrate the heroic past of the Czech people and the unity of the Slav nations

The Slavic Concord on the circular ceiling is supported by eight pendentives – which are spandrels in the form of spherical triangles – on which human virtues are personified by prominent figures from Czech history

The Slavic Concord on the circular ceiling, eight pendentives and three wall panels portray representatives of Slavic youth

The Municipal House study for the Lord Mayor's Hall, Obecní dům, Prague

Mucha not only designed the pictorial decoration of the ceiling, walls and space above the doors, but also the textiles, ornaments and all the details.

Original Mucha embroidered curtain

200 Korun

The Slavic Concord on the circular ceiling

Born in Moravia in 1860, Alphonse Mucha moved to Paris in his 20s and went on to become one of the greatest exponents of the art nouveau style.Alfons Mucha died in Prague shortly before the invasion of Czechoslovakia by German troops on July 14, 1939.

Sound: Bedrich Smetana - Festive Symphony (1855) 1st movement

Text and pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda